20. SMU MUSTANGS (7-1, 4-0)
Saturday’s result: Beat Duke, 28-27
SMU forced an incompletion on a potential game-winning two-point try from Duke in overtime in Durham on Saturday. The Mustangs have won nine-straight road games, their second-best streak in program history.
21. ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS (7-0, 5-0)
Saturday’s result: Open
Army, which hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2021, improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1996 with a blowout win over ECU in Week 8.
22. WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS (7-1)
Saturday’s result: Beat San Diego State, 29-26
Washington State is off to its best start since 2018 and enters its second bye week with plenty of confidence.
23. COLORADO BUFFALOES (6-2, 4-1)
Saturday’s result: Beat Cincinnati, 34-23
Colorado has matched its most wins in a season since 2016 and is still alive in the Big 12 championship race heading into Week 10.
24. ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI, (6-2, 3-2)
Saturday’s result: Loss to Oregon, 38-9
Both losses this season for Illinois are against undefeated Big Ten opponents.
25. MISSOURI TIGERS (6-2)
Saturday’s result: Loss to Alabama, 34-0
The blowout loss to Alabama all but eliminated Missouri from the College Football Playoff hunt.
